Why Are Cruise Ships So Expensive

Vacations on a cruise ship don’t appear to be expensive. When the trip is over, passengers learn the true cost after being promised a dream getaway with lodging, meals, and entertainment included in the deal. Souvenirs and fine dining fees are where the price increases first become noticeable. When passengers receive their final bill, the other hidden cruise ship costs can surprise even the most thrifty and knowledgeable travelers.

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How Much Do Cruise Ships Cost?

Ever wonder what it takes to create a top-notch cruise ship from the ground up? You’d require more than a billion dollars to pull that off.

The Harmony of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, cost Royal Caribbean an estimated $1.35 billion to build (including 2,747 cabins, robot bartenders, a Starbucks Cafe, and a hand-crafted carousel).

Royal Caribbean is said to have spent $1.5 billion building the Allure of the Seas, the second-largest cruise ship in the world. The Oasis of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean ship, cost $1.4 billion. Of course, those Royal Caribbean ships are enormous and opulent.

Itinerary planning

Itineraries cannot be planned from an office with a guide showing sailing times from one port to another when you are operating off the beaten path. Someone needs to travel there physically and conduct thorough research on the itinerary, forging alliances and creating a network of allies where none currently exist.

Onboard experts

Expedition ships carry a number of expensive experts, including naturalists and highly skilled and knowledgeable expedition leaders, who all need to be paid and housed on board the ship.

Laundry

This is a minor complaint because the majority of passengers don’t use the laundry facilities on cruise ships, but if you have a stain emergency or are traveling for a longer period of time, you may find that the laundrettes are frequently occupied when you try to use them and that the concierge laundry service is very expensive.

Food Quality Is Higher

We have discovered that the food quality is generally better because the chef and sous chefs in the galley are preparing fewer meals than on a ship that is temporarily home to thousands of people while they are on vacation (like a large ocean ship).

On our Emerald Destiny Danube River cruise, the food was excellent. We continue to daydream about it. Every lunch and dinner comes with a choice of a starter, a main course, and a dessert, if not more (some meals even include a sorbet course to clear your palate).

Spa Treatments

Spa treatment is too expensive for the cruise ship. Treatments are enjoyable, but upselling is not. – Photo by Disney Cruise Line. The base spa prices are not particularly outrageous, but once they have you relaxed, expect to be unable to resist a barrage of upsells.

How Exactly Are Cruise Ships Built?

Because the necessary equipment is so expensive, none of the major cruise lines, according to Cruise 1st, have their own internal shipbuilders. As an alternative, they consult specialized shipbuilders when they need a new cruise ship.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries runs the fourth and final shipyard capable of producing cruise ships. These shipbuilders can construct a cruise ship in 12 to 18 months and have large shipyards near the water or on rivers.

But before construction can start, the ship must typically be designed, which takes a year. Lower decks are where the bulkiest parts of the ship are found, such as the engines, propellers, and fuel tanks.